“I tell you these by-laws and Bob Somers’ ball nine will make a fine stir among the chaps at the Kingswood High,” he snapped, sternly.
“Read your old by-laws,” challenged Victor, with an aggravating4 grin.
“I’ll not read ’em,” Tom flung back in icy tones.
“It’s all a pipe dream. Don’t believe the club will ever be formed, anyway.”
“Then don’t!”
“All right—I won’t!”
“But I’ll bet that before you’re three-sixteenths[60] of an inch taller, just the same, we’ll have played half a dozen games.”
“Yes, it is so!”
“Come, come, boys,” interposed Dave, smilingly. “No joking, now. Remember to-day is the day when our paths will be separated by a waste of water.”
“A little of it sprinkled on that flowery remark wouldn’t be wasted,” chirruped Victor. “See here, Clifton!”
“Well?”
“Going out with us now?”
“No! I haven’t finished yet. You chaps skip along. But don’t forget to come back in time.”
Victor was ready with a parting shot.
“Just suppose I should shanghai the whole bunch on board the ‘Fearless’ and take ’em clean to Milwaukee?”
“That’s the way I’d expect them to go, unless they got all smeared6 up with cylinder7 oil,” growled9 Tom.
“Listen to the smart Aleck! I mean, wouldn’t you be some scared?”
[61]“Hey?” Tom’s usually gruff voice took on an odd note of shrillness10. “Hey?” he repeated, with a rising inflection. “Scared of what?”
“Why, to take that big car out alone.”
Tom’s forbearance was not proof against such insinuations.
“Well, I should rather say not!” he exclaimed, hotly. “I’d drive from Kenosha to Kingswood without the quiver of an eye.”
“Hear—hear!—A new way to propel a motor car just discovered by Chauffeur12 Clifton: no clutch; no gasoline required; ‘without the quiver of an eye’ runs a car three hundred miles.”
“Then don’t try to light on me. Are you going to be a flopper, Clifton?”
“Well, it’s just like this——” Victor grinned in his most irritating fashion. “If the boys shouldn’t happen to turn up you’ll know they’ve gone to Milwaukee with me—see? Now, to flop14 would mean that——”
“I hadn’t the nerve to take a flyer alone, I[62] suppose?” supplemented Tom. For an instant he scowled16 almost savagely17. Then, catching18 a wink19 from Dave Brandon, the expression of his face suddenly softened20. He gave a quiet laugh. “Can’t string me, lad; oh no!”
An approving nod from the historian rewarded this remark.
“Hope it doesn’t rain,” observed Bob, carelessly.
The boys glanced through the window-panes at an even gray expanse of cloud against which the opposite buildings cut sharply.
“Looks mighty threatening,” admitted Dave. “Isn’t any worse than yesterday, though.”
“Come ahead, fellows. We’ll start out, anyway,” cried Bob. “So-long, Tom. Good luck!”
“Say, you Indians, he’s the easiest chap to jolly I ever came across.”
Victor opened the conversation in this agreeable style the moment the four had stepped into the street.
“You’d better leave Tom alone,” cautioned Bob.
[63]“He might take the law into his own hands,” drawled Dave. He smiled whimsically. “When Tom gets started——”
“It must be something awful,” finished Victor, with a gurgle of mirth.
“Clifton’s a mighty fine chap, Vic,” declared Charlie, reprovingly. “Wait till you know him a bit better. Where away, Bob?”
“It’s Spudger’s Great Combined Peerless Circus and Menagerie for me.” Victor spoke21 in tones which admitted of no argument. He poked22 Dave playfully in the ribs23. “How about it, Brownie?”
The historian grinned complacently24.
“I’m willing. What do you say, fellows?”
“Well, I wanted to take another look at Captain Bunderley’s yacht,” answered Bob, slowly. “Still——”
“Run along, then,” grinned Victor. “Brandon’s on my side. Where do you stand, Blakelets? Don’t hesitate. He who hesitates is lost.”
“No one ever could be in a nice little place like Kenosha,” said Charlie, with a faint smile.
“Very good—that is for you. Which is it—circus or boat?”
[64]The “grind” had long since outgrown25 such amusements as the circus. Thoughts of the sawdust arena26 conjured27 up before his mental vision nothing but frivolity28 and foolishness, so a prompt, “I’m with Bob, Vic,” answered the query29 of the lawyer’s son.
“My name isn’t Bob Vic,” smiled Victor.
The smile presently grew into a laugh of such proportions that he began to slap his knees in the paroxysm of mirth.
“Well?” demanded Bob, somewhat astonished.
“For goodness’ sake, what is the matter now?” asked Charlie. “You’re the funniest chap I ever saw. Cut it out. People are looking.”
“Let ’em look,” gurgled Victor. “Something rich just struck me. Ha, ha! Maybe Brandon could get a job as clown. Ha, ha! Wouldn’t that round face of his look swell30 touched up with a little powder and paint, eh? He could read some of those famous poems, too!”
“I’ll give the matter careful consideration,” said Dave, good-naturedly. “And you might try for the position of animal tamer.”
[65]“I’m an Indian tamer, now,” piped Victor. He seized Dave’s arm, jerking him around. “You and I are going this way, Brownie. So-long, Boblets. In about an hour we’ll meet you and Blakelets at the wharf31.”
“All right,” laughed Bob. “I guess you’ll find us swapping32 land tales for the sea tales of Captain Bunderley. So-long.”
Victor’s delicate fingers closed tightly around Dave’s wrist.
“Come ahead fast,” he ordered, imperiously. “Must be an awful lot to see around that show.”
In a short time the two turned a corner where they came in sight, far ahead, of a group of dull gray tents and tarpaulin-covered wagons33.
On the lot the two boys found, despite the early hour, a scene of great activity. Stock was being watered or fed, while performers and other employees crowded the men’s tent. Huge wagons cast blurred35 shadows over the ground. One lone11 chariot, left outside to whet36 the appetite of the curious, stood before the main entrance. Its gilt37 ornamentation, of wondrous38 curves and twists, framed a painting in which the artist had allowed his[66] fervid39 imagination full sway. A hunter, in the African wilds, lay in the midst of tall, tangled40 grass with the paws of a gigantic lion planted on his breast. The animal’s mouth, astonishingly wide open, revealed a row of glistening41 teeth.
“That artist was certainly great on the dental work,” pronounced Victor.
To another school of art, according to Dave, belonged several huge canvases which flanked the main entrance. These were painted with a bolder, broader touch, and represented “Adolphus,” the world-renowned boy giant, “Zingar,” the celebrated42 dwarf43, “Monsieur Ormond de Sylveste,” wizard of bareback riders, in his speed-defying and world-stupefying exhibition, “Tobanus,” the apparently44 jointless45 wonder, a contortionist and sword swallower, and, lastly, “Colossus,” “Titan,” and “Nero,” the three great African elephants whose stupendous feats46 had amazed the whole civilized47 world.
“Some show, this,” laughed Victor, his eyes roaming over the scene with great interest.
They crossed the lot, peeped into the mess tent, then wandered from place to place, sometimes[67] walking in the shadow of monster wagons or long trucks whose heavy wheels were often sunk deep in the turf.
“Looks as if Spudger’s was here for life,” commented Victor.
“And yet the circus will probably leave to-night,” said Dave. “A strenuous48 life, indeed—positively makes me weary even to think of it. Oh ho! Come on, Vic.”
A nice, comfortable-looking stump49 a few yards away had attracted the historian’s attention. Its call was altogether too strong to be resisted. Unheeding the loud expostulations of Victor, he walked over, and, with a sigh of satisfaction, seated himself upon it.
“A fine place to get a good perspective of the show, Vic,” he exclaimed. “I’d like to make a sketch50.”
“It won’t be done while I’m here,” said Victor, in positive tones; “unless,” he added, mischievously51, “you can work while your neck is being tickled52 with a blade of grass.”
“Tyrant!” laughed Dave. He raised his finger warningly. “I give notice, however: no power can budge53 me for at least five minutes.”
[68]Victor looked displeased54.
“That’s a challenge. We’ll see about it,” he snapped.
The lad immediately made an attempt to convince Dave that his opinion on the subject was an entirely55 mistaken one. But all his pushing and tugging56 merely resulted in Victor making himself quite hot and uncomfortable.
It annoyed him very much indeed.
“Quit it!” commanded Dave.
“Humph; I don’t have to!”
The next instant Victor found his wrists being held in a grip of steel.
“Let go, Brandon; let go!” he stormed. “I’ll punch your head if you don’t.”
“Promise to stop, Vic?”
“No; I’ll promise nothing, you big Indian, you large spot in the landscape! Let go!”
“Only when I have your word, Vic.”
Victor struggled furiously to free himself.
“How dare you grab me like that, Brandon?” he howled. “Ouch! It hurts like fun. Gee59, if I don’t get square with you for[69] this I never saw a senator—and my father’s best friend’s a senator!”
“Hello, Jumbo, what’s up?”
This salutation, uttered in very loud tones, put a stop to further hostilities60.
Both instantly turned.
A lad—and a very odd-looking lad indeed—had just stepped from behind a wagon34 and was surveying them with a curious mixture of amusement and surprise. He appeared to be about fifteen years of age. His round, chubby61 face was liberally besprinkled with freckles62; a mop of thick yellowish hair, supporting a dilapidated cap, straggled across a broad forehead, the wind occasionally blowing it in his eyes.
Dave found it difficult to repress a laugh.
“Looks like a real little character,” he said, softly, to himself.
“Hello, Jumbo, what’s up?” repeated the boy.
He shuffled63 forward, his movements being somewhat impeded64 by a huge bucket of water in one hand and a broom in the other.
“Say—if ye’re abusin’ that little kid I won’t stan’ for it. Do you get me?” he exclaimed.
[70]“Why, we were only fooling, you silly duffer,” he retorted; “and——”
“Good-morning!” put in Dave, politely.
“Mornin’! Weren’t no scrap66, then? Say, Jumbo, you’re too late; Whiffin’s hired a fat man a’ready. You lookin’ for a job, Buster?”
Victor swelled67 up with hot indignation. To be addressed in such slighting terms by a boy whose rough attire68 and general appearance indicated a very low status in society was more than his nature could stand.
“Get away from here, boy,” he snapped. “We didn’t say anything to you.”
The freckle-faced lad’s mouth flew open. He set down broom and bucket.
“Well, by gum, I said somethin’ to you.”
“And you needn’t say any more. Go on about your business.”
“If yer wasn’t so small I’d fetch you a clip for that.”
Victor’s anger rose to the boiling point.
“Chase him away, you Indian!” he shouted to Dave. “See here, Freckles, my father is one of the biggest lawyers in Chicago.”
“I wouldn’t keer if he owned a whole sideshow, an’——”
“Come, come!” interposed Dave. “This won’t do.” A touch of authority in his tone stopped a hot reply from Victor. “Are you working for the circus?—Yes? Well, what is your name?”
“Me name is Mister Joe Rodgers.”
This answer, accompanied by an expansive grin and a wink, to Victor’s utter astonishment69 and disgust, brought forth a low chuckling70 laugh from the stout boy.
“Come on, Brandon,” urged Victor, stiffly. “You’re keeping the water-carrier from his job.”
“Say, ain’t them clothes o’ hisn somethin’ fine? Bet he never did a lick o’ real work in his life. D’ye know what a pay envelope looks like, bub?”
Victor brandished71 his small white fists furiously and dashed in front of the circus boy. But Dave, quickly springing between the two, prevented actual hostilities.
“Cut it out, Victor,” he said, sternly.
“Get away, you big lump!” howled young Collins. “Take his part—that’s right. You’ve got a yellow streak72 a yard wide.”
“By gum, him an’ Peter Whiffin ’ud make[72] a fine pair this mornin’,” exclaimed “Mister Joe Rodgers,” with a long, critical stare at the lawyer’s son. “Ha, ha! Whiffin can’t find no barker; he’s up ag’in it bad. Him an’ him”—he indicated Victor—“is sure like cats that’s had their tails trod on hard. I’d like to cool ’em off with this bucket o’ water. I’m a purty good feller, I am; I ain’t a bit perwerse. But don’t nobody rile me.”
“All of which relieves our minds,” remarked Dave, gravely. “Hold on, Vic!”
Victor, however, thoroughly73 disgusted, had no intention of waiting. Only a week before the hand of a senator had patted him on the shoulder in a fatherly way—and now! Well—“Mister Joe Rodgers” evidently didn’t know to whom he was talking. It was outrageous74; and, what was more, Dave had calmly permitted both of them to be insulted without even putting in a word of protest.
“I wish I’d never heard of this confounded bunch of wonders,” he said in audible tones.
A glance over his shoulder showed Dave looming75 up close behind and the water-carrier tramping across the lot with his heavy burden.
“Oh, I’m mad clean through, Brandon,”[73] snapped Victor. “Don’t take my arm. No; I won’t listen.”
He did, however. Dave had a way that was hard to resist. The historian’s job was not an easy one, but there were so many interesting sights and sounds connected with “Spudger’s Peerless” that the angry look on Victor’s face gradually faded away.
After every portion of the grounds had been visited Victor spoke up.
“It’s time to get over to the wharf, Brandon,” he said. “Guess by this time Somers has talked Uncle Ralph off his feet.”
“Then, to save him from serious injury, we’ll hurry,” laughed Dave.
“Aren’t you going to say good-bye to your new-found friend, ‘Mister’ Joe Rodgers?”
When the two arrived at the wharf an amazing howl of dismay from Victor was Dave Brandon’s first intimation that something extraordinary had happened.
The “Fearless” was nowhere to be seen.
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1
vexed
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| adj.争论不休的；（指问题等）棘手的；争论不休的问题；烦恼的v.使烦恼( vex的过去式和过去分词 )；使苦恼；使生气；详细讨论 | |
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2
saucy
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| adj.无礼的；俊俏的；活泼的 | |
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wrath
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| n.愤怒，愤慨，暴怒 | |
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aggravating
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| adj.恼人的，讨厌的 | |
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5
jeered
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| v.嘲笑( jeer的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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smeared
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| 弄脏； 玷污； 涂抹； 擦上 | |
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7
cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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growl
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| v.（狗等）嗥叫，（炮等）轰鸣；n.嗥叫，轰鸣 | |
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growled
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| v.（动物）发狺狺声， （雷）作隆隆声( growl的过去式和过去分词 )；低声咆哮着说 | |
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10
shrillness
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| 尖锐刺耳 | |
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lone
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| adj.孤寂的，单独的；唯一的 | |
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chauffeur
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| n.(受雇于私人或公司的)司机；v.为…开车 | |
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13
mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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14
flop
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| n.失败(者)，扑通一声；vi.笨重地行动，沉重地落下 | |
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15
mischief
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| n.损害，伤害，危害；恶作剧，捣蛋，胡闹 | |
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16
scowled
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| 怒视，生气地皱眉( scowl的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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17
savagely
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| adv. 野蛮地，残酷地 | |
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18
catching
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| adj.易传染的，有魅力的，迷人的，接住 | |
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19
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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20
softened
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| （使）变软( soften的过去式和过去分词 )； 缓解打击； 缓和； 安慰 | |
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21
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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22
poked
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| v.伸出( poke的过去式和过去分词 )；戳出；拨弄；与（某人）性交 | |
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23
ribs
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| n.肋骨( rib的名词复数 )；（船或屋顶等的）肋拱；肋骨状的东西；（织物的）凸条花纹 | |
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24
complacently
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| adv. 满足地, 自满地, 沾沾自喜地 | |
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25
outgrown
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| 长[发展] 得超过（某物）的范围( outgrow的过去分词 )； 长[发展]得不能再要（某物）； 长得比…快； 生长速度超过 | |
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26
arena
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| n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台 | |
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27
conjured
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| 用魔术变出( conjure的过去式和过去分词 )； 祈求，恳求； 变戏法； （变魔术般地） 使…出现 | |
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28
frivolity
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| n.轻松的乐事，兴高采烈；轻浮的举止 | |
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29
query
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| n.疑问，问号，质问；vt.询问，表示怀疑 | |
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30
swell
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| vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强 | |
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31
wharf
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| n.码头，停泊处 | |
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32
swapping
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| 交换，交换技术 | |
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33
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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34
wagon
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| n.四轮马车，手推车，面包车；无盖运货列车 | |
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35
blurred
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| v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离 | |
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36
whet
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| v.磨快，刺激 | |
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37
gilt
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| adj.镀金的；n.金边证券 | |
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38
wondrous
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| adj.令人惊奇的，奇妙的；adv.惊人地；异乎寻常地；令人惊叹地 | |
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39
fervid
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| adj.热情的；炽热的 | |
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40
tangled
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| adj. 纠缠的，紊乱的 动词tangle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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41
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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42
celebrated
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| adj.有名的，声誉卓著的 | |
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43
dwarf
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| n.矮子，侏儒，矮小的动植物；vt.使…矮小 | |
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44
apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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45
jointless
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| 无接缝的，无关节的 | |
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46
feats
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| 功绩，伟业，技艺( feat的名词复数 ) | |
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47
civilized
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| a.有教养的，文雅的 | |
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48
strenuous
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| adj.奋发的，使劲的；紧张的；热烈的，狂热的 | |
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49
stump
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| n.残株，烟蒂，讲演台；v.砍断，蹒跚而走 | |
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50
sketch
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| n.草图；梗概；素描；v.素描；概述 | |
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51
mischievously
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| adv.有害地；淘气地 | |
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52
tickled
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| （使）发痒( tickle的过去式和过去分词 )； （使）愉快，逗乐 | |
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53
budge
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| v.移动一点儿；改变立场 | |
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54
displeased
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| a.不快的 | |
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55
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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56
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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58
forth
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| adv.向前；向外，往外 | |
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59
gee
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| n.马；int.向右！前进！，惊讶时所发声音；v.向右转 | |
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60
hostilities
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| n.战争；敌意(hostility的复数)；敌对状态；战事 | |
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61
chubby
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| adj.丰满的，圆胖的 | |
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62
freckles
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| n.雀斑，斑点( freckle的名词复数 ) | |
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63
shuffled
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| v.洗（纸牌）( shuffle的过去式和过去分词 )；拖着脚步走；粗心地做；摆脱尘世的烦恼 | |
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64
impeded
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| 阻碍，妨碍，阻止( impede的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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65
bristled
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| adj. 直立的，多刺毛的 动词bristle的过去式和过去分词 | |
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66
scrap
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| n.碎片；废料；v.废弃，报废 | |
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67
swelled
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| 增强( swell的过去式和过去分词 )； 肿胀； （使）凸出； 充满（激情） | |
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68
attire
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| v.穿衣，装扮[同]array；n.衣着；盛装 | |
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69
astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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70
chuckling
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| 轻声地笑( chuckle的现在分词 ) | |
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71
brandished
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| v.挥舞( brandish的过去式和过去分词 )；炫耀 | |
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72
streak
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| n.条理，斑纹，倾向，少许，痕迹；v.加条纹，变成条纹，奔驰，快速移动 | |
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73
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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74
outrageous
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| adj.无理的，令人不能容忍的 | |
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75
looming
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| n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近 | |
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mused
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| v.沉思，冥想( muse的过去式和过去分词 )；沉思自语说（某事） | |
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